Way of the Four Elements
The Way of the Four Elements is a monastic tradition of Astral Reach, devoted to understanding and maintaining the careful, fragile balance between the races of Hollumund and the world itself. The Disciplines of the Four Elements The Root Chakra The first chakra to unlock is the root chakra. Tied to the element of the earth, and representing stability and a sense of purpose in the world, it reacts to a person's feelings of disorientation and the inability to remain secure and certain in their actions. To open this chakra requires reflection on one's past decisions, and the acceptance of their consequences. What has come to pass must be acknowledged and welcomed, instead of dwelled upon to the point of anxiety and paranoia over the potentially negative effects of similar decisions or situations, or, in another sense, never consciously admitted in order to maintain a mask of apathy in regards to the consequences of their actions. The connection of the earth to these aspects of the mind and body is conceded through the conviction of rock, stone and soil in their functions; to act as the foundation upon which all life resides. Even beneath the ocean, there remains a solid bed of stone to act as a cradle for the water and its inhabitants. The earth is aware of its purpose in life, and lives in confidence that this is the purpose it must meet. It accepts the erosion by water against its coasts, allegorical to the acceptance of the turmoil that all life must experience throughout their life, because it knows that this is simply another facet of existence that will pass on and lead to a new stage in their life. Earth Manipulation One of the most well-known aspects of this monastic tradition is the ability to control the element of the earth in a limited manner. This is accomplished by the monk's acknowledgement of the role that the earth plays in the grand scheme of Hollumund's existence, and, therefore, in the way that they and the earth are intertwined in the same way; the former knows their purpose and strives to excel at it, while the latter is unsure of their place in the world, and works towards figuring it out. To act as the earth, to work through the earth, is to finally accept one's purpose in the world, whatever it may be, and to move in confidence towards this goal. Sacral Chakra The sacral chakra alludes to the acceptance of change; it's association with the element of water ties to the flow of the river, stream, sea or ocean as it moves along its path, adapting to any difference in direction by changing its course or halting at a dam or a more natural blockage. Similar to the root chakra, the sacral chakra can only be opened by the acknowledgement and acceptance of change in one's life, and the willingness to work towards altering one's perspective in order to be able to move ahead and towards reaching their desires. The sacral chakra is also important in developing the motivation to create and innovate; to realise the importance of expressing oneself through art as a means of releasing negative thoughts in a productive, harmless and beneficial manner. Water Manipulation